A sheet-like object transporting device that transports a stiff sheet-like object S such as a corrugated fiberboard and a cardboard, while holding it by suction, is known. Such a sheet-like object transporting device is often used in an ink-jet printer or the like. FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic diagrams for explaining the structure and workings of a suction-type sheet-like object transporting device of related art. As depicted in FIGS. 8A and 8B, two transport belts 102 which are narrow in width are placed in parallel with each other on the upper surface of a transport plate 101 with numerous holes 100 made penetrating through it and the belts are allowed to move, circulating along a transport direction. Beneath the transport plate 101, a suction means is provided which sucks in air, as functionally indicated by arrows, though it is not depicted. When a sheet-like object S is transported, the sheet-like object S loaded on a pair of transport belts 102 is held on the surface of the transport belts by being sucked by the suction means through the holes 100 of the transport plate 101 and transported with the move of the transport belts 102.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-81317, an invention of an image forming apparatus is disclosed. This image forming apparatus includes a transport mechanism 1 for transporting a recoding medium 20 that is a sheet-like object. Although the sheet-like object in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-81317 is not limited to a stiff sheet-like object, the transport mechanism is also applicable to paper that is rather stiff. According to the transport mechanism 1 of this image forming apparatus, a transport belt 5 has numerous holes 5a made through it and the transport belt 5 moves along a transport surface of a platen 31 with numerous holes 31a made penetrating through it, as depicted in FIGS. 4 and 6 in the above publication. A platen frame 32 in which a suction fan 41 is installed is provided beneath the underside of the platen 31. When a recording medium 20 is transported, the recording medium 20 which is a sheet-like object S is attracted to the surface of the transport belt 5 by being sucked by the suction fan 41 through the holes 31a of the platen 31 and the holes 5a of the transport belt 5 and transported with the move of the transport belt 5.